Pope calls for World Peace on Easter Sunday

Sunday, March 31, 2013 - 00:48

March 31 - Pope Francis calls for peace in the world in his Easter Sunday address. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION).
STORY: Pope Francis used his first Easter Sunday address to call for peace in the world and appealed for a diplomatic solution to the crisis on the Korean peninsula.
In his first "Urbi et Orbi" message, Francis also called for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, an end to the civil war in Syria, and political solutions to conflicts in several African countries.
Francis, who has brought a more simple and personal style to the papacy spoke only in Italian.
He delivered his message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica - the same spot from where he first appeared to the world as pope after his election on March 13 - to a crowd estimated by the Vatican at at least 250,000 people.
"Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, Happy Easter! " said the Pope.
Earlier, at a Mass in a square bedecked by more than 40,000 plants and flowers, the Pope wore relatively simple white vestments, as opposed to his predecessor Benedict, who preferred more elaborate robes.
The huge crowd spilled out of St. Peter's Square and into surrounding streets and included many who had come to see a pope they hope could give a new start to a Church that has been marred by scandals involving sexual abuse of children and allegations of corruption.